Assessment Technology

Introduction

In classrooms today, teachers are finding innovative ways to reach each students
individual learning style, so that each student can be successful academically. This takes an
incredible amount of time, so teachers are looking towards technology to help incorporate many
different styles of learning, while also introducing students to technology. One such program
within the realms of technology is Socrative. Using Socrative, a teacher can create or input a
quiz that students can access and then submit to the teacher. This helps the teacher keep track of
how each student is doing, and then see what needs to be worked on. Socrative is a great source
of technology for teachers to use to assess students learning and then analyze the data.
Technology to Facilitate Ongoing Efforts to Assess Student Learning
Teachers today, can incorporate technology in the classroom by using great programs like
Socrative, Edmodo, Google Docs, and many more. These programs have a great, visual way of
helping students learn technology, as well as assessing what the students have learned. This helps
the teachers figure out what the student has absorbed academically. From there, the teacher can
analyze the data and then use new strategies to help the students comprehend the lesson content
that has not already been absorbed. The assessments can be either formative assessments, or
summative assessments. Doing these assessments really gives the teacher a good reading on how
each student is doing academically and ensures great results as the teachers follow up with new
strategies to teach the students what has not been absorbed. Using technology to give
assessments helps students understand concepts and subject matter(Gunter, G., Gunter, R.,
2015).
Google Docs

Google Docs has google forms, as well as google sheets, that can help a teacher take
information about each student and incorporate it into data sheets. Once the teacher has this data
inputted into the software, then the teacher can analyze that data and see how each student is
doing in the class. Collecting data and analyzing data helps the teacher know how each student is
doing academically and where the student may need to improve. Having this data will help the
teacher know if different strategies (like practice with flashcards, breaking down the vocabulary
of the lesson, or visual educational games using apps on an Ipad) need to be used to help enhance
the learning of the students.
Socrative
Socrative is a fantastic program that allows the teacher to assess the students knowledge
on specific topics, such as creating a quiz, inputting a quiz, doing a quick question, a space race
quiz or an exit ticket. All of these methods are quick, easy ways to test what the students know,
whether it is for the day, or for the week, or for the month. The teacher is then able to analyze the
data and see what the students have learned, what the students are struggling with and what the
students still need to know. Then the teacher can come up with other strategies for teaching the
students what they have not already picked up on.
Edmodo
Edmodo is a great resource for teachers to put assignments and assessments and can be
automatically graded using technology. For example, the teacher can upload a quiz on math to
assess if the students truly understand the lesson. The students can do the quiz at home using the
computer and the program will automatically grade it. The teacher can then access the grades
from each student, and analyze if the students need more review on the lesson before taking a
test. Teachers and students can work together on assignments, polls, and assessments by

communicating on a special wall that is private. Edmodo is set up like Facebook, however it is
a closed group and only the teachers, parents, and students can access.
(Formative and Summative Assessments)
Formative assessments are used to to assess students learning as they are learning it. It is
to see what the student has learned, asses the students strengths and weaknesses and figure out
what areas the student needs to work on. Formative assessments would be quizzes, flashcards,
and games, which can be used using technology. Summative assessments are used to assess how
much the student has learned over a period of time, or after a lesson or accumulation of lessons.
Tests (even benchmark and standardized tests), essays and projects are great examples of
summative assessments. Socrative and Edmodo both have great ways of uploading or creating
quizzes to use for formative assessments, while Google docs would be a great program for using
for projects such as essays for summative assessments. Using software can be a great asset for
teachers to do both formative and summative assessments.
(Pros and Cons of using Technology to Facilitate Assessment)
The pros of using technology for assessments, is that once the information is inputted
into the technology it can be saved and used numerous times. Once the information is saved, it
can also be shared with other teachers and students to use. Using technology for assessments will
eventually save time and will also give students an alternative way to learn. By using technology
for assessments, teachers and students have new ways to efficiently assess and track
achievement while also promoting better learning(Landauer, T. K., Lochbaum, K. E., & Dooley,
S., 2009).
The cons of using technology for assessments, is that, in some districts, teachers are not
given enough time to learn how to use the technology. This then becomes a problem, as teachers

spend unlimited amounts of time trying to troubleshoot the programs and make the programs
work for the students in the classroom. Another con, could be that some districts do not have the
funding to equip the school with all the technology needed for all the classrooms. Keeping
updated technology is costly and could become an obstacle.
The point of using technology is to enhance the learning that the students are already
receiving, not to replace it. Technology is a great asset to the classroom, as it helps with
assessing students more accurately, efficiently, and quickly(Milner, J., 2006). Technology is a
wonderful asset for the teachers to use, however, it should not be the ONLY resource used for
assessing a students learning, but a resource that is appropriate and enhances the teaching and
learning process(Gunter, G., Gunter, R., 2015).
What is the importance of assessment technology in connection with the ISTE standards?
The importance of assessment technology in connection with the ISTE standards, is that
each student needs to be able to have a good, solid understanding of how the technology works,
including how to use the technology, how the programs run and how to apply it to their learning.
Students need to be able to take what methods have already been learned and adapt to learning it
through technology
Concluding Paragraph for Software to Support Assessment
Technology is now available to use in the classrooms and it has become a very effective,
method for assessments in the classroom. New software programs like Google docs, Edmodo,
and Socrative are programs to help teachers utilize technology in a very effective, visual

approach. Using technology can be a great asset to the classroom, and it is there to enhance the
learning of the students, not replace what is already incorporated into the classrooms.

References
Gunter, G., Gunter, R., (2015) Teachers discovering computers integrating technology in a
changing world. Cengage Learning
Landauer, T. K., Lochbaum, K. E., & Dooley, S. (2009). A New formative assessment technology
Milner, J. (2006). Assessment Testing: In their hands. T.H.E. Journal, 33(7), 30-36.